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To Get Big Results, Think Small.

Small group instruction is still relevant, by Dr. Felicia Bolden


Dr. Bolden is an elementary school principal from the Greater Houston area in the Fort Bend ISD. Access some of Dr. Bolden's many publications at the end of this blog post.


Small group instruction has existed for decades in the field of education in efforts to close achievement gaps for students in most school settings. Variations of small group instruction exist for all content areas such as math, science, reading, etc.


Historically, small group instruction has been relevant mostly in the elementary school setting rather than the high school setting. However, teachers who are vulnerable and willing to the take risk of trying something that may be unfamiliar, at first, to improve learning for students are finding that small group instruction in all settings is beneficial.


So why don’t we see small group instruction with fidelity in all settings in every classroom across the country?


Small group instruction takes extensive preparation, adequate resources are needed, and consistent implementation over time is key. In order to prepare for effective small group instruction, teachers must know their students' performance levels, their interest (to keep learning relevant), have extensive knowledge of the curriculum and standards, be able to analyze data, and must be highly organized. A systematic approach to small group instruction makes the process functional, reduces burnout for teachers, and is undeniably beneficial for students.


Grouping students according to their performance and functional levels allows for a streamlined approach to scaffold learning for students (read more about relative academic rigor) and to increase their academic performance. Students’ understanding is magnified at a much quicker rate when they are given the tools and instruction, they need to be successful. Lessons for each group should be customized to the specific needs of the students but must also be aligned to the learning standards. Small group instruction does not mean to water down the material, but to implement activities and skills that challenge students' thinking through questioning, the use of manipulatives, providing exemplars, setting goals, giving ongoing feedback, and using repetitive practice with models to help students grasp concepts and skills.

Teacher placing students in ability groups based on frequent formative assessments.
Clear purpose and frequent, accurate, data informed shifts, make for effective small group instruction.

Lessons for each group should be completed well in advance. Some teachers prep by unit, by concept, or even by instructional semesters to ensure they stay ahead of learning curves and schedules. Collaboration and routine data review are also needed to track students’ performance and to make adjustments to the groups and instruction (read more about implementing effective PLC's). Small group data collection binders and digital spreadsheets can be used for storing and analyzing data, and crates and folders can be used to store materials for each group to ensure materials are readily available.


The most important aspect, once small groups are implemented and materials and resources are secured, is to make sure that groups are fluid and students are moving along a continuum of improvement and not staying stagnant in their performance. Groups can change daily, weekly, or monthly. The sky's the limit when it comes to small group resources. For reading, leveled books, embedded writing activities, letter and word cards, authentic text, auditory stories, and language development sentence strips, dialogue strips, letter tiles, picture books, novels, journals, and pictures are just a few items that can be used to help students make sense of text.


Some teachers also use digital stories on YouTube to engage students in small groups to get them excited about literacy. It Is important to customize resources to the needs of the students and to ensure the resources are aligned to the standards to ensure students are able to demonstrate understanding of fundamental literacy concepts such as inferencing, plot, story elements, character elements, compare and contrast, etc. For math, teachers may use manipulatives, pictorial models, practice paper, calculators, charts, graphs, and reference sheets. In science, investigations, simulations, videos, phenomenon's, charts, graphs, and models are just a few resources to prepare in advance.


Regardless of the content area, students can also be involved in the planning process. Notifying students and families in advance of materials needed for each unit instills a sense of pride and promotes ownership of the learning process. Our parents have loved to provide consumables for learning and then are able to engage in conversations about what students have learned when they arrive home. These kinds of partnerships can create an unbreakable bond with parents.


Preparing and securing small group resources doesn’t have to be done in isolation. Involving colleagues, parents, and community members in securing materials well ahead of time elevates learning experiences for students. The beauty of small group instruction is that the process of implementing the instructional practice will evolve over time and significantly impact student achievement. There is not one perfect way to implement small group instruction, because children are unique, dynamic, and diverse in every classroom across the country. Small group instruction can also be a teacher meeting with students to work on projects or research to stretch students' thinking and involvement with concepts. The most important fact to remember is that educators who are committed to students’ success will perfect their processes and systems to benefit students. Educators, we have to think outside of the box.


Overall, to prevent tunnel thinking and implementation, educators have to be careful to avoid educational jargon that may limit their thinking when implementing small groups in classrooms. Small groups have various researched based names such as guided reading, guided math, strategy groups, skills, groups, etc. If we customize instruction to the needs of students and are able to help them to achieve their learning goals, then educators are doing right by them. The ultimate goal is to prepare students to be productive members of society whether they pursue higher education or skills-based trades in the workforce. Small group instruction is still very much relevant and can be the key to success for many students.


Now, the question is what do you do with the other students in the classroom who are not in small group instruction? How do you manage students' behaviors when everyone is working on something differently? Stay tuned for more viewpoints about how to effectively implement learning stations and independent work that impact student achievement in a great way!


Read more from Dr. Bolden on the topic of small group instruction at Teach Hub: https://www.teachhub.com/classroom-management/2020/03/how-to-implement-effective-small-group-instruction/


And more from Dr. Bolden on a variety of leadership-based topics:






Building Systems to Maximize Your Leadership Potential - http://jabbedu.com/show50/










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